Early career

A product of the AFC Ajax academy where he was sent away from due to apparent attitude issues, Elia, who had previously played for ADO Den Haag, rejoined the club after leaving the Ajax academy in 2002.

Club career

ADO Den Haag

Before excelling in the ADO Den Haag youth team, Elia played for many amateur clubs. He made his professional debut in 2004 when he was just 17 years old. In that season, he played four matches and scored one goal for Den Haag. But things went wrong when Den Haag picked their new coach, Lex Schoenmaker. After some conflicts with Elia, FC Twente moved in to sign the exciting young player.

Twente

Not only FC Twente were interested in Elia's signature but also Ajax were keen to sign him but if he chose Ajax, he would first be loaned back to ADO Den Haag, and Elia did not have a chance of playing there. ADO Den Haag were also relegated, and he did not want to play in the Eerste Divisie. When he played for FC Twente, he was recognised as one of the Eredivisie's best players, and named Dutch Football Talent of the Year in 2009 which added to his already growing reputation in Europe.